The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 97

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (97)

“….”

Arteon’s gaze was fixed on Teobalt.

He couldn’t understand why that guy was in the army at this time, but just seeing him left Arteon unable to hide his bewilderment.

‘Has the future I knew… changed?’

He couldn’t know the reason yet, but the changed future weighed heavily on his mind, too significant to be dismissed as mere coincidence.

“Um, Lieutenant…?”

“Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

At Teobalt’s words, Arteon shook his head.

Whatever the reason, the fact that the guy was here now remained unchanged.

‘I should have Rishiven look into this as well.’

Something to investigate later.

Arteon looked at Teobalt again.

But then.

“Lieutenant Arteon!”

At the familiar voice from behind, Arteon turned his gaze.

Blonde hair with a slight brown tint and impressive blue eyes.

As the man with a solid build approached, Arteon turned to face him.

“Captain Isaac.”

Arteon’s eyes softened momentarily.

One of the reasons he had accepted when Belkain mentioned the transfer to Aikuled was Isaac.

Not just his skills, but Arteon knew better than anyone his character and care for his subordinates.

Moreover…

Swoosh.

Arteon looked at a figure walking alongside Isaac.

‘That person is…’

The strictly pressed creases of his military uniform, the battlefield aura that was suppressed but couldn’t be easily hidden.

The energy flowing from his body was calm, yet it carried the intense pressure that only the strong could emanate.

He was certain that even the Kar Tribe commanders he had fought earlier didn’t give off this level of pressure.

‘Lukael… Hargail.’

Even in his past life, he had only heard the name from afar.

They had been on the same battlefield before, but only at such a distance that he could barely see a silhouette.

‘To think I’d see this person so close…’

One of those who would later be called heroes of the Northern Region.

Meeting such a person face to face was quite surprising even for Arteon.

Arteon brought his feet together and saluted in a rigid posture.

“Steel heart! Lieutenant Arteon. I am honored to meet Special Unit Commander Lukael Hargail.”

Arteon’s powerful voice echoed.

Lukael smiled slightly and extended his hand to Arteon.

“Pleased to meet you.”

A low, solid voice flowed out.

“I’m Lukael Hargail. Same rank as Captain Isaac – Captain, and unit commander. You can call me Commander or Captain Lukael.”

“Yes, understood.”

Arteon grasped his extended hand and shook it lightly.

It was cold but had calluses so thick they could be felt immediately.

The weight of having walked countless battlefields for a long time was conveyed through his fingertips.

Then Lukael spoke.

“Well, I have things to discuss, so let’s go to my barracks. Deputy commander, come along too.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Arteon followed the two men toward the barracks where Lukael was staying.

Crackle.

Inside the barracks, unlike the harsh outside, a gentle warmth circulated.

An artifact that generated warmth using mana stones in the center of the barracks was activated.

“You must be cold, warm yourself up with this first.”

Lukael offered a cup of slightly warmed wine.

Arteon didn’t refuse and took a sip of the warm wine.

“That soldier earlier, do you know him?”

“Pardon?”

“No, it just seemed like you were talking as if you were close.”

At Lukael’s question, Arteon shook his head.

“No. He just resembled someone I know, so I was a bit surprised.”

“Hmm… Is that so? He’s a soldier with quite a story, so I thought I’d ask.”

“….”

At those words, Arteon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Just from his words, it seemed like that guy definitely had some circumstances.

‘If I could…’

He wanted to ask right away, but it seemed better to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to Teobalt.

‘There definitely was something that happened.’

This was something he could find out through Rishiven.

Arteon soon erased thoughts about Teobalt from his mind.

He had things to do now.

Eventually, when Arteon emptied his wine cup and set it down, Lukael spoke.

“Then… I think it would be best to first give you a brief explanation about this place.”

At those words, Arteon nodded.

Lukael began to briefly explain the current situation in Aikuled to Arteon.

Of course, most of it was content he already knew.

The situation in Aikuled was nothing special, but if there was a unique point, it was the current state of the unit members here.

“The snowstorm has become too severe, making movement difficult, let alone visibility. Standing guard is also becoming increasingly difficult due to the cold.”

“The cold is a major factor.”

“That’s right.”

Lukael nodded.

‘The rumors I heard… I thought they were greatly exaggerated.’

Despite his young appearance, he was someone who understood the flow of battle.

Lukael’s gaze toward Arteon became serious.

And then, Isaac, who was beside them, spoke.

“Movement is the same. I’ve tried to find a way to cross that ice wall, but there’s just no way to get over it.”

Isaac let out a small sigh.

Well, it couldn’t be helped, since Aikuled’s gorge was a high ice wall, and climbing it was suicide due to the snowstorm.

‘Even in the past, no one ever crossed this wall.’

It was completely different from the walls of Helikel Gorge.

It was a place where crossing itself was considered impossible from the start.

Of course…

‘If I had to say… if one reached the 7th Star realm or higher, they might be able to cross.’

But there couldn’t be such a person here… no, in the Northern Region.

However, Isaac’s words weren’t finished.

“That’s why we absolutely must move through the path between the gorge… but the number of people who can move at once is limited… and above all, it’s terrain that’s too advantageous for the defending side.”

At Isaac’s words, Arteon nodded.

Passing through the gorge itself carried too great a risk.

The only option was to break through with overwhelming force, but the opponents blocking that path weren’t ordinary either.

Then Lukael quietly opened his mouth.

“That’s why we plan to move on the night when the snowstorm is at its worst. They’ll have trouble securing visibility too, so it’ll be hard for them to notice our movements.”

In the end, the only method was to target a time that would be difficult for them to predict.

Arteon spoke in a low voice.

“…It will be a harsh night.”

Lucael nodded.

“Dealing with the cold during movement will probably be the biggest problem. No matter how good our equipment is, we can’t completely block the Northern Region’s snowstorms.”

Even if they endured with mana, that time wouldn’t last long.

Perhaps their bodies could freeze solid in less than an hour.

The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

But then, Lucael let out a small sigh and forced a smile.

“Come to think of it, I seem to have only told gloomy stories to someone who just arrived. Still, all those assembled for this Special Unit are individuals with outstanding abilities. I’ll introduce you to the unit members, so let’s move. You’ll need to check where you’ll be staying too.”

“Understood.”

At Arteon’s response, Lucael took the lead and went outside the barracks.

Isaac, who was following behind, shrugged his shoulders with a smile.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to come. I only heard you were coming after I joined this place.”

“Is that so?”

“Seeing you again is truly reassuring.”

Arteon also smiled.

“I came knowing that you were here, Captain. If you hadn’t been here… I might not have come.”

“Ha, your flattery has improved while I wasn’t looking.”

Isaac playfully tapped Arteon’s chest and laughed. 

The two exchanged light banter as they walked toward where the unit members were waiting.

However, the moment they reached the front of the barracks.

“T-This is terrible!”

At the sudden sound coming from the distance, both men’s gazes turned in that direction.

*    *    *

It was a narrow path in Icicle Red Gorge.

Snowflakes swirled and swept through, and the cold wind spiraled up to the sky along the rock walls.

And at the center of it all.

Drip… Drip… Drip…

Thick drops of blood fell to the ground with heavy sounds.

Fingers stained with red blood like blotches.

Through the light that seeped between them, the man’s gaze looked down at the soldier’s corpse sprawled at his feet.

An Imperial Soldier soaked in terror, not even knowing how he died or the reason for it.

When the man’s gaze settled on his face, a man’s voice flowed from behind.

“Did you let him escape?”

Along with that voice, the Black-cloaked Figure’s eyes flashed sharply.

Soon, the man who looked toward where the sound came from spoke with a voice filled with killing intent.

“I deliberately let him go. That way they’ll be on guard. What you want is to buy time, isn’t it?”

“It’s not about buying time, but making sure no one can pass through this place.”

At his voice that seemed to carry a fishy smile, the Black-cloaked Figure said.

“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry about it.”

“Hmph, what if they come prepared after being on guard? That could make it more dangerous.”

It was certainly a reasonable point, but at his words, the man raised his head and cast his gaze far beyond the gorge.

In the darkness obscured by the snowstorm, he seemed to faintly see the Imperial Army’s flag fluttering.

It seemed like their screams were mixed in with the sound of the wind.

The man chuckled and said.

“It doesn’t matter what preparations they make.”

His voice, falling low and heavy, cut through the snowfall.

“In this place… no one will survive.”

With those words, his fist clenched tightly.

Soon he looked at the man who had been behind the snowstorm and said.

“When this job is finished… you must keep your promise.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. We’re taking very good care of them in a very safe place.”

Whoosh!

With those words, tremendous killing intent burst forth from the Black-cloaked Figure’s body.

Behind the snowstorm, the expression of the man who had been laughing leisurely and smugly hardened stiffly.

“Wh-What…! What’s with that attitude! Do you mean to break the promise!”

“…”

It was killing intent so dense it made the skin tingle, but soon the Black-cloaked Figure clenched his fist and turned his head in the opposite direction.

What was dripping from his hand, whether it was the blood of the dead Imperial Soldier… or his own blood, was unclear.

The Black-cloaked Figure said.

“I will… keep the promise. So you must keep yours as well.”

With those words, his figure disappeared into the snowstorm.

At his ghost-like movement, the Kar Tribe Warrior who had been watching him could only swallow his saliva, his face pale.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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